German government systems under attack by RU

While I appreciate that some people tend to sensationalize, for the avoidance of doubt, RU is Russia the country (ISO 3166) and ru.gov is the government in Moscow. Same as IE is the country of the Republic of Ireland – and does not imply the Irish government.

Similarly, IR is Iran, not Ireland. Thus, the Irish banks should have used IEP for the old Irish Pound, and not IR£ (Iranian Pounds!). Idiots. Similarly, the Irish media came up with the “Irexit” (as in Brexit) word. When in actual fact it should have been Iexit (as in “I exit”), if one followed the ISO standard. One comes across the same misuse of symbols for Ireland on TV coverage of sports games.

An establishment plot to create a nation of imprecise people?

According to Sunday's FAZ newspaper, the attacks on German government systems started about two years ago. Malware appears to have been embedded in distance eLearning courses. These courses are intended to be used by staff in Foreign affairs (and probably other government agencies).

It would appear that the malware spread itself from government employee computers into other systems. One wonders if the 'worm' spread itself to computer systems operated by the EU or other countries, including IRL? Have other EU nations/the EU itself asked the Germans (ie gov.de) for malware signatures so that they can check their systems?

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/f-a-s-exklusiv-cyber-attacke-war-gezielter-angriff-auf-das-auswaertige-amt-15476826.html

Agence France Presse video: https://youtu.be/Q2vp5vHZaYg